Pope Francis appoints Thomasians Villarojo, Florencio as Cebu auxiliary bishops

Pope Francis appointed Thomasians Msgr. Dennis C. Villarojo and Msgr. Oscar Florencio as auxiliary bishops of Cebu, on July 3, 2015.

Bishop-elect Msgr. Dennis C. Villarojo was born in Cebu City, in the Archdiocese of Cebu, on 18 April 1967. He completed his education at the Colegio de San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu City; his Philosophy studies at the San Carlos Seminary College of Cebu City; and his Theology studies at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila, where he also obtained his Licentiate in Philosophy. He studied in Rome at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, where he obtained a Doctorate in Philosophy. He was ordained priest for the Archdiocese of Cebu on 10 June 1994.

For four years, from 1994 to 1998, he was the personal secretary of the Archbishop of Cebu, Cardinal Vidal. After studying in Rome, he returned to his country, and continued to serve as secretary at the Cardinal and the Coordinator of Pastoral Planning Board archdiocese until 2010.

Since 2010 he is the Chairman of the pastoral staff of the parish of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, Capitol, Cebu City. In 2015, he was also appointed Secretary General of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress to be held in Cebu in January 2016.

Meanwhile, Bishop-elect Oscar J.L. Florencio was born in Capoocan, Leyte in the Archdiocese of Palo on 5 February 1966. He completed his Philosophy studies at the Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo, and Theology at the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila. From 1994 to 1999 he studied in Rome at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, where he obtained a licentiate and a doctorate in Sacred Theology. He was ordained priest on 3 April 1990.

After a few years as parochial vicar, he served as spiritual director of the Sacred Heart Seminary in Palo. He was among the educators of Saint John the Evangelist School of Theology, the Archdiocesan Seminary of Palo before becoming a parish priest: He first served the parish of Saint Francis of Assisi (2004-2006), then the parish of Sacred Heart (2006 -2009). In 2009, he returned to the Saint John the Evangelist School of Theology where he became rector in 2013. Since 2009, he has also been Vice-Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Palo.

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